Enough already AOPA!!

30 posts in this topic

Posted

When I was getting my Pilots license I got talked into joining AOPA by the FBO. Well the magazine was pretty cool but then the calls starting coming in. At least once a week someone called my house begging me for money. It wasn't no 10 or 20 bucks they wanted $100 donations!! I got so sick of the propaganda I did not renew. That was almost 3 years ago. I'm still getting membership applications with last notice stamped all over them about every other week. I guess I'm going to have to call them and tell them to leave me the hell alone. I support what they do but they need to go after the big cooperate guys that actually have money and fly big glass cockpit jets not the fly 20 hours a year in a rented POS 172 guys. The cover of the magazine in the latest reasons why I should join package had a Gulfstream on it. I could give two shits about business jets that I'll never even the see the inside of let alone fly. That is the same reason I cancelled my FLYING magazine subscription. They cater to about 15% of the people out there that actually fly. The only aviation mag I get anymore is the EAA light sport one. Even it's getting overflowed with digital this and glass cockpit that.... WTF is up with all these $100,000 dollar plus light sports that my Avid will fly circles around??...ok okay..rant off thanks for tuning in...  :soapbox: :soapbox:

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Posted

Personally, I think light sport glass is good!

1154_eb8414f44d994f3c774b657aeedaf8372d5

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Posted

Nice panel... but I am kind of siding with Joey on this one... I dropped my kitplanes subscription and the AOPA membership.  I also dropped all my model airplane magazine subscriptions as they are mainly manufacture advertisements.

While there is a movement for kitplane owners to build the fastest, bad ass airplanes, there are still alot of us that think the spirit of homebuilts is a cheap, safe aircraft that we dont have to spend a life savings on.. If I wanted that, I would have bought a IFR certified 180 or 185.

Long live the cheap low and slow flying kitfox / Avid type aircraft.....

Now to play the devils advocate, getting rid of steam gauges and going glass panel, while costing more, will generally come with a weight savings.... there by enhancing the low and slow aspect.... damn, there is never just one good side to an argument is there :lol:

:beerchug:

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Posted

:biggun:

I used to get some of these mag's some 20 years ago and realized

then I didn't want or have a 100K plane and told all of them to stick it.

Now I get all the mail wanting me to subscribe and send money

just because I registered my Kitfox. Who says they don't share your info.

I have enough instruments in the Fox to tell me what my "plane" is doing

not what the rest of world is doing.

:beerchug:

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Posted

yeah... now I just have to get you to use those instruments... namely the fuel gauge :lol:  Just kidding... sorta ....

:beerchug:

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Posted

I realize GA is under assault big time but 100% in agreement about the AOPA cash calls, they are coming fast and furious. Seemed to coincide with the new head guy taking over last year, maybe he got a raise. IMO, you don't have to pay up for the Dynons etc. In true spirit of experimental homebuilt, just pick up a cheap panel and some open source software and make your own! That and a GRT EIS is cheaper than a full blown 6-pk with engine gauges. Friggin replacement (or overhaul) cost of engines these days and I personally won't fly with just airspeed indicator and no engine gauges. Besides, I figure I scrimped, scratched, horse-traded and built my own on the cheap so I'm entitled to a bit of splurge on the panel.  ;D

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Posted

Glass panels for monitoring the engine would be great, other than that I think the Avids were designed to be light and simple.

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Posted

Your panel really makes me jealous, I have the basic stuff. But your right, the engine instruments are the more important ones.

And Leni. the reason I bought the SPOT is so I don't have to look at fuel

sight glasses that don't work anyway, especially when their kinked, comegetme.

And you have to realize that when my engine quits in flight because I kniked the fuel line when folding out the wings, I'm not getting as many hours on it

as you are. :french11:

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Posted

Hey Bob- not mine, I'm still flip-flopping between the EFIS and round gauges. Bbut that Avid+ panel does look pretty nice to me too and I've given serious thought to doing a near duplicate layout. IMO, an Avid is always going to be a simple plane no matter what's in the panel, and by the time I get to building mine steam gauges are probably going to be obsolete anyways.  :P

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Posted

While I can understand where C5Engineer is coming from, I think it is one of the better mags/organizations. Yeah, it has got alot of corporate aviation stuff and some of their editors columns are on subjects far removed from most of GA, but they still run articles on small GA aircraft on a regular basis. I've only had about three calls from them over 10 years, and I do get mailings probably about three or four times a year. But overall I don't mind paying their subscription fee. A previous post mentioned the new person in charge of AOPA. Only time will tell but the previous chief, Phil Boyer, seems to have left some pretty big shoes to fill. Just my two cents.

The publication I do miss is CustomPlanes. I still have some old issues lying around and look through them on a regular basis.

-Nate

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Posted

While I can understand where C5Engineer is coming from, I think it is one of the better mags/organizations. Yeah, it has got alot of corporate aviation stuff and some of their editors columns are on subjects far removed from most of GA, but they still run articles on small GA aircraft on a regular basis. I've only had about three calls from them over 10 years, and I do get mailings probably about three or four times a year. But overall I don't mind paying their subscription fee. A previous post mentioned the new person in charge of AOPA. Only time will tell but the previous chief, Phil Boyer, seems to have left some pretty big shoes to fill. Just my two cents.

The publication I do miss is CustomPlanes. I still have some old issues lying around and look through them on a regular basis.

-Nate

Hi Nate,

Welcome aboard!

What kinda plane you flying? Trying to get more Alaska guys on here so we can do flyin's etc. The once a year poker run for the Kenai EAA is just not enough for me. I would like to see several more a year!

:beerchug:

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Posted

Found this in my email Spam Folder today. I guess not enough responded to their voluntary cash calls...

 

Dear D,

I am writing today because I wanted to tell you personally that, for only the second time in the past 24 years, we’ve made the tough decision to increase AOPA member dues. Beginning Sept. 1, regular membership dues will be $59 a year.

Raising dues isn’t a decision we made lightly or in a vacuum. We know that the cost of flying is an important consideration for our members, and AOPA dues are part of that cost. So before taking this step, we collected feedback from more than 2,000 members like you. Those members told us that the work we do on their behalf is important and must continue today and long into the future. I hope you’ll agree. As a result of member feedback, we are also providing you with added options that will help tailor your membership to meet your needs.

Thanks to you, our mission continues

Right now, we are working to create an environment where many more people can share in the experience of general aviation, where we can reverse the rising cost of flying, and where all of us can fly more often and much later in life than we ever imagined. With your support and engagement, we are working to create a general aviation community that is stronger and more vibrant than ever before. We can bring our vision to life by fighting hard to protect our freedoms, by opening the hangar doors to anyone who wants to experience aviation, and by removing the barriers that prevent people from starting or continuing to fly.

As your aviation association, it’s our mission to help you do what you love—to get you flying and keep you flying for as long as possible. Advocacy is an important part of that mission, and we are engaged in more intense and successful advocacy efforts than ever before.

When we stand up to federal agencies like Customs and Border Protection, they take action to make sure the rights of law-abiding pilots are respected. When we work closely with regulatory agencies, we prevent government from chipping away at your freedoms with rules and regulations that are impractical, expensive, restrictive, or just plain ineffective. When we work with friends in Congress, we stop user fees, promote legislation that supports general aviation, and get long-overdue action on medical reform.

We know you count on AOPA to represent your aviation interests at every level of government and to provide you with specialized services tailored to how, what, and why you fly. We support you with unique member hotlines, award-winning magazines, outstanding websites, best-in-class safety education, and all the other services you rely on. And we work to build a stronger, more connected general aviation community that will help GA thrive for generations to come.

All of these efforts rely on member dues to some extent. Your dues cover about 30% of AOPA’s annual operating costs, with revenues from other sources like advertising and sponsorships covering the rest.

Since I came on board less than a year ago, we have significantly cut operating costs by doing things like eliminating four executive positions, reducing mailings to save on postage, and selling the Caravan. As a result, our 2014 operating budget is the lowest it has been since 2006.

But even with cuts, the basic cost of doing business has gone up in America. Things like technology to operate the websites and postage to mail the magazines are a lot more expensive these days. At the same time, companies in every industry, including GA, are spending less on advertising, significantly reducing an important source of revenue.

As AOPA’s president, it is my job not only to make sure we are good stewards of your membership dollars, but also to make sure your association is here to serve you and pilots like you for another 75 years. That’s why, after careful consideration, we decided that the time had come to raise dues.

The new options and answers when you need them

To give you more choices so that you pay only for what you need, we’ve added new membership options with bundled pricing for some of our most popular services. The options range from a $49 e-Membership to a $179 Premier Plus Membership which includes Pilot Protection Services Plus at a discounted rate. We’ve even got lifetime membership options so you can invest in the future of GA and enjoy all the benefits of AOPA membership without ever paying dues again. You can see more details about each membership option online.

Members with expiration dates of August 31, 2014 or later will receive renewal information in the coming weeks and months with the new dues rates. I know some of you will have questions and concerns. As always, we want to hear from you. Feel free to contact us at dues@aopa.org. Your comments are important and, while we may not be able to respond to each one, we will read every message we receive.

All of us at AOPA share your passion for aviation. We are committed to strengthening GA, growing our community, and protecting our uniquely American freedom to fly. We pledge to be good stewards of your dues dollars, and we appreciate the trust you place in us. Thank you for your membership and your commitment to a strong future for general aviation.

Sincerely,
MBSig.png

Mark Baker
AOPA President

 

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Posted

Unfortunately, they are going to loose a lot of members. I saw this in avweb this morning, too.

This is sad, because I do believe, as a lobbying effort, they do much food for general aviation. Our government is out of control and lobbying these corrupt criminals is getting more and more expensive to pay the graft.

I will be thinking long and hard about renewing this year. I get almost nothing from their magazine any more.

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Posted (edited)

 I dropped my AOPA mbrshp long-ago too - just didn't see or feel that I was being represented.  EAA probably does more good for our group in my humble opinion. Other than them, I don't know who else would represent the sport aviation community.

Edited by allonsye

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Posted

Its a tough call.. but any organization who represents GA these days is worth considering supporting.  I hate throwing good money after bad, I hate having to pay someone to lobby against the government (the government is supposed to represent us remember) but the reality is, like it or not, any voice in washington for us is a win...

 

That said, I guess I need to renew my AOPA...

 

:BC:

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Posted

How much of the actual fee do you think goes into the lobbying part once they pay their employees and advertising cost?

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Posted

Honestly, Joey, I believe quite a bit of the dues go to their political action expenses.

 

To an organization like AOPA, all the mailers and solicitation crap is nothing.

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Posted

http://www.aopa.org/AOPA-Live.aspx?cmp=ALTW:L6

 

The first story of this video is a fairly powerful statement by the president of the AOPA.  A statement like this wouldn't be happening unless there was something behind it...

 

I will renew my AOPA membership.  They ARE fighting for us.

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Posted

I am with Joey about the AOPA...I hate the calls and letters asking for money. The magazine is not inline with my interests either and I have pitched more than a few in the trash after a brief scan through.

However, when they stand up for things like abolishing the Third class medical requirements, I don't mind giving them money.

I actually really like the EAA Sport Aviation magazine and find some of the articles very useful. But Kitplanes is my favorite! I think Kitplanes is a magazine that caters to guys like us, with articles that show the "cheaper" side of building and flying planes.

GA is dying and Uncle Sam wants it to die, he wants the airspace! The main reason it is dying is that aircraft are too expensive! This new generation of adults is living in their Mom and Dad's basement because they can't afford a home. How do they afford the soaring gas prices when learning how to fly much less be able to purchase a $100,000 LSA?

I hope for some sort of tort reform or reg change so that a cheap, manufactured aircraft becomes available, but that is a dream for sure!

Take a look at your new car, selling in the $35,000 range with all of the bells and whistles and safety equipment. Why is an aircraft with simplistic engine technology and basically no safety equipment other than 1970s seatbelt technology worth $100,000?

Our little planes are great, I just wish it didn't take so long to build one! Of course I am the weak link in that equation :)

Also, I like the glass stuff...all the info to stay safe is right there. Take a look at some of the iPad interface systems like iLevil...very cool!

http://www.aviation.levil.com/ilevil-sport.html

You can use multiple devices for a split screen. You can link it to one of the GRT EFIS so that engine info can be displayed as well. Link it to Foreflight or WingX to get all kinds of free weather info, airport data and all of the flight planning data. I think I'm going to do this, but I'm still a couple of months from building my panel.

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Posted

I hope for some sort of tort reform or reg change so that a cheap, manufactured aircraft becomes available, but that is a dream for sure!

Take a look at your new car, selling in the $35,000 range with all of the bells and whistles and safety equipment. Why is an aircraft with simplistic engine technology and basically no safety equipment other than 1970s seatbelt technology worth $100,000?

 

 

I agree wholeheartedly about the cost of flying. When I got my license, I rented a 152 for $37/hr with fuel (I know some paid $5 or some crazy cheap amount). As you say though, there should be a way to build an airplane for less money.

 

I believe the reason homebuilts are expensive to build is the cost of engines. We can build a reasonably priced airframe in our garage from raw materials and plans, but it's hard to build an engine ourselves. I started getting all of the homebuilt mags back in the late 80s, and the promise of new better engine options for homebuilts seems like it's always been there, yet most homebuilts today are still using certified style aircraft engines.

 

Auto conversions are the closest thing to building our own economical engine, but they have a mixed record. Some have great success, and some have nothing but trouble. I think it really depends on the technical ability of the individual. Another factor is that just about every auto conversion out there has a slightly different configuration. There are multiple types of fuel delivery, and multiple ignition system variations. PSRUs come in many different flavors. And those are only a few of the differences in installations. All of these differences mean that it's hard to gain knowledge from previous installations because no two are quite the same. It's like every builder has to be their own R & D department. Aircraft engines have so much operational history, they are pretty much a bolt on and go situation.

 

If someone could crack the code on a less costly engine, I believe it would be the single biggest factor in reducing the cost to build your own plane. I know this isn't really any new information, just thinking out loud I guess.

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Posted

you must have got your ticket right before I got mine.  I was paying 43 hr wet for the 152, 65 hr wet for the PA 12.  The 180 was 112 hr wet.

 

:BC:

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Posted

1976 - PA28 was $40 wet, actually $28 and $12 for the instructor.

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Posted (edited)

My renting history

 

 

1987 - Wisconsin Rapids, WI (KISW)

 

PA28 Warrior II - $48 / hour, wet

C152 - $35 / hour, wet

Instructor - $18 / hour, (wet behind the ears)

 

 

1991 - Marshfield, WI (KMFI)

 

PA28 Warrior II - $55 / hour, wet

C172RG Cutlass - $75 / hour wet

PA28 Arrow - $85 / hour wet

Instructor - $25 / hour

 

 

2003 - Stevens Point, WI (KSTE)

 

PA28 Cadet - $60 /  hour, wet

PA28 Archer II - $80 / hour, wet

C182 RG - $110 /  hour, wet

Instructor - $25 / hour

Edited by Av8r3400

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Posted

you must have got your ticket right before I got mine.  I was paying 43 hr wet for the 152, 65 hr wet for the PA 12.  The 180 was 112 hr wet.

 

:BC:

 

Well, I got my license in 92, but started it in 91. I never got many hours though. It wasn't too long before I got married, and eventually started a family. I just recently got back to flying again. They also had a 172 that rented for $58/hr wet.

 

Rental rates actually seem to be in line with inflation. I found this website: http://www.usinflationcalculator.com/ , and calculated what the 172 would be in today's dollars. It came out to $101.31. I'm currently paying $100/hr wet to rent a 172. It's even a 180 horse with constant speed.

 

The thing that's disappointing to me is that we haven't figured out how to make homebuilts more affordable to build. I do think Avids are probably one of the best bang for the buck homebuilts out there though. That's why I'm building one.

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Posted

image.thumb.jpeg.63bf08aa6d59c49fa298ff3Can you boys list the top 3 software and auxiliary hardware options for an iPad integrated panel.  

 

Here's what my new to me dash looks like, I have a couple holes to fill.  An iPad is the solution that I'd want to go to. I want a quality radio that will support the existing wiring, com block and existing squelch and volume  knobs if possible. 

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